Way of the World

In July, the Festival continues its commitment to developing new plays with a World Premiere of The Way of the World by Theresa Rebeck. The Way of the World is a contemporary retelling of the sardonic masterpiece by William Congreve. Set in the demimonde of the hyper-rich Hamptons, it follows the story of a good-hearted heiress who has become prey to the attentions of an amoral party boy. After he callowly seduces her aunt, making the older woman a figure of public ridicule, their romance is dead in the water. But his insistence on winning back the moneyed heroine fuels the summer’s gossip in the land of the one-percent. Can love emerge in a world where love means nothing? While embracing a language which is completely of the moment, the play faithfully revels in Congreve’s gimlet-eyed questions about society. Theresa Rebeck herself will helm the production, bringing with her a star-studded cast.

“The Trinity River Plays was originally conceived as single, intimate, small-scale drama. As playwright Regina Taylor continued to work on it, the scope of the work expanded. This ambitious project now encompasses three related one-acts – Jarfly, Rain, and Ghoststory – and spans 20 years in the life of a family. Support from the Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award will provide critical additional rehearsal time to explore the relationships in this intricate trilogy. Presented in a co-production with Chicago’s acclaimed Goodman Theatre, this deeply human drama will first premiere here in Dallas and then go on to perform at one of the nation’s most esteemed theaters."